Leisure Management 1 - Marketing

Study leisure marketing online. Learn how the management of PR, promotions, advertising, sales, sponsorship, customer service and engagement can improve success for sporting clubs, fitness centres, recreational or entertainment services.

Course Code: BRE103
Fee Code: S2
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification
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DEVELOP MARKETING SKILLS FOR THE LEISURE INDUSTRY

During this course you will learn to develop strategies to market recreation facilities or services.  The course shows you how to: Develop marketing plans incorporating PR, Advertising, Sales promotions, Sponsorship and Event Management; Manage the delivery of a service to ensure customer satisfaction; Manage a customer database to increase engagement and return business; Manage complaints.

The viability of any commercial recreation business (whether supplying a product or a service), depends heavily upon marketing.The viability of non commercial leisure industry enterprises (eg. government funded facilities, NGO's), are also increasingly reliant upon marketing. Continued funding often depends upon a facility or service being used (being seen to serve a perceived need).

Who would benefit from this course:

Owners, managers or employees of organisations in the leisure or recreation industry including:

  • Sporting Clubs, Associations, Businesses
  • Hobby groups
  • Personal training business
  • Fitness Centres and Gyms
  • Night Clubs
  • Entertainment venues
  • Amusement parks
  • Holiday resort/spa
  • Museum or cultural arts centres

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction to Marketing
    • Marketing and leisure industry introduction
    • The marketing mix and the managing the marketing effort
    • What makes people buy
    • Marketing law
    • Consumer law
    • Warranty and Condition
    • Liability of manufacturer
  2. Marketing Strategy
    • Introduction to Supply and Demand
    • The Marketing Mix
    • The real purpose of advertising
    • The marketing mix
    • Market research made easy
    • Gathering data
    • Types of Customers
    • Marketing to increase your turnover
    • Selling
  3. Media Promotions
    • Promotion element of the marketing mix
    • Publicity and public relations
    • Promotions
    • Effective Advertising
    • Structuring an advertisement or promotion
    • Summary
  4. Promotional Materials
    • Steps in Designing Effective Promotions Strategy
    • Advertising in the media
    • Why do advertisers use magazines
    • Copywriting in advertising
    • Merchandising and displays
    • Merchandising suggestions
    • Signage and signposting
    • Display advertising
    • Free advertising
  5. Complaints
    • Identifying Dissatisfaction
    • Self-Evaluation
    • Customer service
    • Customer satisfaction
    • Problem solving
    • Pitfalls in problem solving
  6. Managing Membership Levels
    • Memberships
    • Managing Patron Numbers
    • Determining an appropriate level of patronage
    • Strategies to minimise patron loss and replace patrons
  7. Sponsorship & Fundraising
    • Sponsorship for Profit
    • Sponsorship for Charity/Goodness of Heart
    • Advantages and disadvantages of sponsorship
    • Getting sponsorship
  8. Managing Events
    • Organising an event
    • Publicity
    • Pricing
    • Shows and Exhibitions
    • Success indicators
    • Mitigating what can go wrong
    • Community Participation
  9. Managing Promotional Activities
    • Job specifications in marketing
    • Revenue
    • Fundraising events
    • Grants
    • Gifts and Donations
    • Concessions
    • Networking
    • Writing a marketing plan
  10. Market Sensitive Recreation Services
    • Product line decision and Product line length decision
    • New products or services
    • Service and Customer relations
    • Manage results

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Discuss marketing skills for the leisure industry.
  • Develop marketing strategies.
  • Develop skills in dealing with the media to promote an organisation or service.
  • Coordinate the production of different promotional materials.
  • Coordinate the distribution of promotional materials.
  • Deal with client complaints in a recreation enterprise.
  • Monitor membership base to ensure retention of membership.
  • Initiate and manage relationships with sponsors.
  • Explain alternative methods of raising funds for a recreation event or service.
  • Manage special events.
  • Coordinate activities designed to increase public awareness of an organisation.
  • Deliver approval for different promotional activities.
  • Manage delivery of a service by a recreation, sport or fitness organisation.

What You Will Do

  • Visit retail outlets to observe the marketing used for a chosen recreational product.
  • Conduct a market survey, of a properly selected sample of customers, using a designed survey form, and obtaining at least 20 responses.
  • Develop a marketing plan, based on market survey results.
  • Develop a promotional campaign for a chosen recreational product of service.
  • Write two press releases, for recreation products or services, which you are familiar with. Suggest a plan for the distribution of this press release.
  • Contact three different publications which advertise recreation services or products, and obtain information about how to advertise.
  • Interview the management of a recreation facility (or people responsible for marketing).
  • Investigate complaints within an organisation/enterprise in the recreation industry.
  • Investigate the way membership is managed in two different recreation enterprises.
  • Survey the membership of a recreation, fitness or sporting club, to determine attitudes towards services provided.
  • Interview a sample of members and leaders/staff from one of each of the following types of organisations; to determine reasons why people join these different types of recreation organisations.
  • Contact your local government authority, and determine any legal requirements which relate to fundraising for non profit community recreation organisations, in your locality.
  • Investigate the market strategies for different types of special events, in your locality.
  • Conduct research to determine different publications which may be relevant to the sports, recreation and leisure industries.
  • Interview staff or clients of a recreation facility/enterprise with the aim of developing procedures to implement improved services for a specified facility.
  • Go shopping. Take notice of how different sales staff communicate with you. Note the
    • techniques that use (verbal and non-verbal), and how effective they are.

WHY IS LEISURE INDUSTRY MARKETING NECESSARY

Marketing involves finding people who might support the services or facilities you are managing; then convincing them to provide that support; organising for that support to be acquired, and following up with them after it has been supplied.
Marketing might be targeted at the people who fund leisure facilities or services; or it might be aimed at the users.
 
Without funding, services can't be provided; and without users, they do not get used. For a leisure facility to be sustainable, both groups need to be aware, and motivated to give support.
 
ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).
ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

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It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

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Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

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More information is here

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Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Lyn Quirk

M.Prof.Ed.; Adv.Dip.Compl.Med (Naturopathy); Adv.Dip.Sports Therapy
Over 30 years as Health Club Manager, Fitness Professional, Teacher, Coach and Business manager in health, fitness and leisure industries. As business owner and former department head for TAFE, she brings a wealth of skills and experience to her role as a tutor for ACS.

Denise Hodges

Promotions Manager for ABC retail, Fitness Programmer/Instructor, Small Business Owner, Marketing Coordinator (Laserpoint). Over 20 years varied experienced in business and marketing. More recently Denise studied naturopathy to share her passion for health and wellness. Denise has an Adv.Dip.Bus., Dip. Clothing Design, Adv.Dip.Naturopathy (completing).

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